Controlling garments



1959 E. c. CHAMPAGNE ETAL 2,867,216

CONTROLLING GARMENTS Filed April 23, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS g k ATTORNEY 6 Jan. 6, 1959 E. 'c. CHAMPAGNE ETAL CONTROLLING GARMENTS Filed April 23. less 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ATTORNEYS Unite assign Patented Jan. 6, 1959 CONTROLLING GARMEN TS Emory C. Champagne, Woodbridge, and Jane Ann Pfoh, Bridgeport, Conn., assignors to The Berger Brothers Contopaziy, New Haven, Conn., a corporation of Connec icn Application April 23, 1956, Serial No. 580,078

3 Claims. (Cl. 128429) This invention relates to a controlling brassiere, and more particularly to a garment which is designed to be fitted to a figure, which is being measured, in order to control the shape of the figure, and more particularly the breast portions thereof in order that the proper measurements can be taken for a corset or brassiere to be made later according to such measurements.

A controlling garment of this type is ordinarily used by corsetieres in taking measurements for custom-made garments, and it is desirable that the corsetiere be provided with a controlling garment which is capable of adjustments over a wide range in order that the same controlling garment may be employed with subjects of different sizes. It is also desirable that, while the garment as a whole be made adjustable as to girth, various parts of the garment also be subject to adjustment, particularly the breast pockets thereof in order to accommodate the garment to the flatness or fullness of the subject.

.In such case it is not necessary for the corsetiere to have a separate garment for each person to be measured and after the controlling garment has been placed upon the subject, it may then be adjusted to control the figure. As the adjustment should cover a comparatively wide range, it is desirable that it be so made that the flesh of the subject be properly controlled regardless of the extent of the adjustment and not be permitted to bulge between sections of the device.

It may also be desirable in some instances to provide that certain of the sections of a controlling garment of this kind be detachable so that other sections of different size and possibly diiferent construction may be substituted therefor. In the present case such an arrangement is shown in connection with the front section of the garment. As illustrated, the side and back sections may be detached and front sections of various sizes be used therewith, these front sections being of different width particularly to provide different spacing between the breasts.

One object of the present invention is to provide a controlling garment which will have provisions for being fitted to figures having a relatively wide range of measurernents.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a controlling brassiere or like garment which will not only have provision for considerable adjustment as to the girth measurement thereof, but also provision for properly shaping and controlling the breasts of the figure in a convenient manner and through a considerable range of adjustment.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a controlling garment of the character described wherein the form of the subject will be properly controlled throughout the adjustments of which the garment is capable.

Still another object of the invention is to provlde a controlling garment of the character described which will be of relatively simple construction and be readily and easily adjusted to the figure of the subject.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a controlling brassiere embodying our invention, the garment being shown in extended position;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of one of the side and back sections on line 2-2 of Fig. 1';

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the breast pocket portion of the garment showing the adjustment thereof;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the loops through which the shoulder straps pass;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of a flexible bone or stay employed adjacent the meeting edges of the front and side sections;

Fig. 6 is a view of the front section of the garment of a larger size than that shown in Fig. l and of slightly different construction; and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, showing a front section of smaller size than that shown in Fig. l and of slightly different construction.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention there is shown in the drawing a controlling garment consisting of a front section which comprises front panels 11 and 12, these panels being joined together along a central vertical seam 13. Connected to these front panels at the remote edges thereof are side and back sections 14 and 15. Each of these sections is provided with a row of eyes 16 adjacent one edge adapted to receive hooks 17 secured to the outer edges of the panels 11 and 12 to secure the side sections to the front panels.

Each of the panels 11 and 12 may, if desired, be formed in two sections joined along the seams 18 which extend substantially vertically from the lower'edge of the garment up to the apex of the breast pocket. From this point upwardly the adjacent edges of the two sections of each panel diverge along the lines 19 and 20, and a gusset 21 is disposed between them so as to provide greater fullness at the top of the garment. With this ar rangement it will be seen that the gusset 21 together with the adjacent portions of the sections of the front panel provides a breast pocket, the apex of which is substantially at the point 22.

Each of the inner sections 23 of the panels 11 and 12 is pro-vided with tucks 24 extending outwardly from the center line or seam 13 so as to provide the necessary fullness in this portion of the garment for the proper shaping of the breast pockets.

The breast pockets may be adjusted by means of adjusting straps. For this purpose a strap 25 is secured to each of the seams 20, and the end of each of these straps may be passed through and adjustably secured in a buckle 26 secured to the seam 19 by the short strap 27. It will be seen, therefore, that a pull upon the free end of the strap 25 will draw the seams 19 and 20 together, as shown in Fig. 3, thus giving greater accentuation to the breasts of the subject. Release or extension of the straps 25 will effect a greater flatness. If desired, indicia such as the letters C, D, E, F shown at 28 may be placed upon the free end of the strap 25 in order to indicate the adjustment or measurement at this point.

It may also be noted that the material of which the panels 11 and 12 are constructed is cut on the bias so that p the grain of the material or the threads in the textile material of which these panels are made will be inclined upwardly towards the center seam or line 13, the threads meeting at this seam to form the apex of a V-shaped figure. Thus tension upon this portion of the garment will tend to straighten or flatten out the angle between the threads of these sections of the garment and draw the latter downwardly on the body of the subject so as to Each'of these sections is provided with relatively wide bones or stays 30 and 31, the latter of which is disposed adjacent the central portion of the'section, while the former is disposed adjacent but inwardly from the free edge thereof. It may here be noted that the garment is made of nonelastic material, and the sections 14 and 15 are preferably made of mater al which may readily be folded when adjusted for larger and smaller figures. For the purpose of such adjustment straps 32 are secured at one end to a seam 33 at the inner edge of each of the sections, these straps beingpassed through buckles 34- secured to the garment adjacent the outer stay 30. When the ends of these straps are pulled through the buckles, the portion of the garment adjacent the. stay will be drawn toward the seam 33 and the section 14 will be folded along the dotted lines 35 shown in Fig. 2 so as to reduce the size of the garment in girth and fit it to a smaller figure.

When the sidesections are extended, as shown in Fig. 1, there might be some tendency for the flesh of the wearer to bulge outwardly between the straps 32 and between the seam .33 and the stay 30., For this reason the relatively wide stay 31 extends substantially vertically over the section 14 and substantially midway laterally of this section so as to prevent such bulging.

Atthe seam 33 a flexible bone 36 (Fig. 5) is placed in a bone pocket 37; shown more especially in Fig. 2. As illustrated, this bone is formed of spirally wound wire sojas to be flexible laterally in order that it may be drawn out of line when necessary to take up fullness in a portion of the garment. Such an arrangement is desirable, for example, when; the strap 25 over the gusset 21 of the breast pocket is let out as it'would be upon a subject having; a. relatively flat breast development. In this case the strap--32 at theupper edge of one of theside sections mightbe made shorter than the remaining straps in order to take up the slack or fullness occasioned by the extension of the strap 25. The bone 36 would be permitted t bend or flex laterally in order to permit this adjustmen of the upper strap 32.

Each'of the side sections 14 and 15 is extended beyond the outer bone 30, and the section 14 is provided with hooks 38 adapted to cooperate with eyes 39 on the outer edge of the side and back section 15 so as to secure the free edges of the side and back sections together at the back center line of thegarment. A tape 40 may have its free ends secured to the upper edge of each of the sections 14 and 15 and at the folded; portion of the tape is secured a button 41 designed to be received by the eve of a loop 42 received upon thebight portion of a shoulde strap 43.

.The loop 42, as shown in Fig. 4, is -provided with a roller 45 rotatably mounted thereon so that the tape or strap 43 engages around this roller and will slide freely through the loop. One of the free ends of the strap 43 is secured to the front panel 11 at the point 46 at the upper end of the seam 19, while the other end is received in a buckle 47' secured by a short piece of tape to the upper end of the seam 20. Thus the tapes 43 are double over the shoulders and connected to the seams upon each side of the breast pockets. These shoulder straps are adjustable in the buckles 47 and serve to support the breasts at each side of the latter. The loops 42 will, of course,

ly described in that it is composed panels 11 and 12 meeting at the seam 13*. These panels are likewise cut on the bias as previously described, and between the seam 13" and the seams 18 are provided the tucks 24 to provide fullness for the breast pockets. In this instance there are a larger number of tucks than shown in Fig. 1, owing to the larger size of this section of the garment.

Also adjusting straps are provided for the breast pockets and due again to the long distance between the upper swivel upon the buttons 41 to accommodate the strap to 1 various shoulder sizes.

lt is often desirable to provide front sections of different sizes to .be employed with the side sections 14 and 15 of the garment. The front section, shown in Fig. l, is of medium size, while there is shown a front section of a larger size to be usedwith figures of unusually large girth. This section is in many respects likethat previous} edge of the garment and the apices of the breast pocketstwo adjusting straps 25 and 25 are provided so that the breast flesh will not beforced-outward in the area of the gusset. In other respects the front section shown in Fig. 6 is like that shown in Fig. l.

A front section of smaller size than that shown in Fig. l is shown in Fig. 7. In this instance each of the breast pockets is provided with only one adjusting strap 25 and the panels 11 and 12 of the front section are adjustably secured at their meeting edges adjacent the vertical center line of the'garment-by laces 49' so that adjustment is providedbetween the two-panels of the front section at the center front of thegarment. Inother respects the section shown in Fig.- 7 is like that shown in Fig. l. The material of the sections 11 and 12 is cut onthe bias as previously explained and-the tucks 24 are also provided to give fullness to the breast pockets.

While we have shown and described some embodiments of our invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all of the details shown, but is capable of modificationand variation within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the claims.

What we claim is:

l. A fabric controlling garment comprising a pair of front panels joined at their adjacent edges at approximately the center line of the garment, a gusset inserted in the upper edge of each panel to form a breast pocket with the adjacent edge of the panel, each of said gussets having a slide clasp secured atone edge thereof, a tape secured to the opposite edge thereof and slidably engaged with said clasp to draw the edges of the gusset together and ac- I centuate the contour of the pockets, side sections having their inner edges secured to the outer edges of the front panels and their free edges meeting at the back of the subject to provide a body-encircling garment, said side sections being adjustable girthwisev of the garment, a laterally flexiblestay member extending substantially vertically of the garment adjacent the inner edge of each side section, and vertically spaced adjusting straps extending laterally across the side sections to adjust the horizontal dimensions thereof, one end of each of said straps being connected to the side section adjacent said stay member. a

2. A fabric controlling garment comprising a pair of front panels joined at their adjacent edges at approximately the center line of the garment, a gusset inserted in the upperedge of each panel to form a breast pocket with the adjacent edge of the panel, each of said gussets having a slide clasp secured at one edge thereof, a tape secured to the opposite edge thereof and slidably engaged with said clasp to draw the edges of the gusset together and accentuate the contour of the pockets, side sections having their inner edges secured to the outer edges of the. front panels and their free edges meeting at the back of the subject to provide a body-encircling garment, means to adjust the effective width of said side sections in a horizontal direction, each of said front panels being comprised of two sections seamed together along their adjacent edges for a distance upwardly from the bottom edge of the garment, said edges being in diverging relation adjacent the upper edge of the garment, and said gussets being inserted between said edges.

3. A fabric controlling garment comprising a pair of front panels joined at their adjacent edges at approximately the center line of the garment, a gusset inserted in the upper edge ofv each panel to form abreast pocket with the adjacent edge of the panel, each of said gussets having a slide clasp secured at one edge thereof, a tape secured to the opposite edge thereof and slidably engaged with said clasp to draw the edges of the gusset together and accentuate the contour of the pockets, side sections having their inner edges secured to the outer edges of the front panels and their free edges meeting at the back of the subject to provide a body-encircling garment, said side sections being adjustable girthwise of the garment, a stay member extending substantially vertically of the garment adjacent the inner edge of each side section, and vertically spaced adjusting straps extending laterally across the side sections to adjust the horizontal dimensions thereof, one end of each of said straps being connected to the side section adjacent said stay member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 507,482 Caperton Oct. 24, 1893 1,497,308 Shultz June 10, 1924 1,782,892 Gray Nov. 25, 1930 2,180,180 Versoy Nov. 14, 1939 2,733,445 Champagne Feb. 7, 1956 

